Bucks vs. Kings Prediction
Milwaukee Bucks Preview
The Doc Rivers era of the Bucks is getting closer.
Despite a rough start marked by fourth-quarter collapses and a complete lack of offensive cohesion, those were signs that Doc’s message was permeating, especially on the defensive end. These signs are now real alarm bells which should alert the rest of the East of the arrival of the champions of a few years ago.
Since the All-Star break, the Bucks rank fifth in net rating (second in the East behind the Boston Celtics) and are outscoring their opponents by eight points per 100 possessions, more than twice as many as the sixth-ranked team in during this period.
The team’s defensive rating (109.6) since intermission would also rank second if applied to the year as a whole, behind the Minnesota Timberwolves. That, combined with a much-improved offense, is reason enough to expect the early season inconsistencies that plagued them to be put to rest come playoff time.
As mentioned above, the Giannis-Lillard duo is finally taking off. Although they ranked in points per possession whenever both were involved, they are now looking to run plays involving the pair more frequently. This makes defenses struggle to contain them, as they can’t change positions due to the mismatches that would result, and they can’t help too much due to the team’s ability on the three-point line .
The Bucks are second in threes made per game and seventh in percentage (38.6%) since the All-Star break. Giannis and Lillard also averaged 56 points, 16.6 rebounds and 14.4 assists during that span, while Khris Middleton was sidelined with an ankle injury.
Sacramento Kings Preview
The Kings took the NBA world by storm last year due to their rapid and unexpected improvement. Although they are only seventh seed after finishing third last year, they are only one game behind where they were a year ago at this point in the campaign.
Sacramento goes unnoticed for various reasons. They’re not a great home team or dominant in advanced settings, but they are difficult to put away and have strengths in their playstyle that make them difficult to defend.
One of those strengths, like Milwaukee, is the two-man game involving their two best players, Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox. For the year, the team is completing handoffs on 10.3% of their possessions (over 1.5 times higher than the second highest frequency), placing them eighth for most points per possession on this type of game.
Sacramento is only 15th in net rating (-0.5) since the All-Star break. The offense is good and ranks fifth, two spots ahead of the Bucks, but the defense is a lowly 26th during this stretch.
The Kings are also oddly better on the road than at home, outscoring their opponents by an average of 0.4 points more per 100 possessions.
Sabonis is having a great month so far, averaging 22.2 points, 17.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists. Fox is also averaging 28.8 points per game while shooting just 24.1% from three, meaning he has room to improve if he can drain his long-range shots like he does. It was earlier in the year.
Sacramento’s advantage could show on the charts here, as they rank second behind Milwaukee, 19th in rebounding rate after the All-Star break.
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Bucks vs Kings Betting Picks
Sacramento has been the more profitable team, while Milwaukee is playing better and has a higher ceiling.
The key to watch is how Sabonis handles Giannis inside and whether Fox and Malik Monk can match Lillard’s score. As great as Sacremnto’s offense is, Milwaukee’s ability to anchor and get stops, especially against a team that isn’t great at home, is key.
We expect the Bucks to add another win to their tally and continue to roll against the Kings.
How to watch Bucks vs. Kings
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When: Tuesday 7:00 p.m./10:00 p.m. PT/ET
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Or: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
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TV: NBA League Pass
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